Could a Dwarf melee with a Balrog?

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by BGreg

Actually, I was talking about the ordinary Men of Rohan and Gondor, who were afraid of the ghosts on Paths of the Dead. Not Aragorn and Boromir. Considering them, everything you said is true. They were very valiant in face of a frightening foe and stood their ground, even trying to charge at the Balrog after he overwhelmed Gandalf. Perhaps they were not completely aware of Balrog's strength?

Boromir indeed probably heard nothing about balrogs. But Aragorn (considering his education in Rivendell) would probably know more about Balrogs than a Sinda-Silvan Elf Legolas. Aragorn could have even heard Glorfindel telling first-hand stories. The fall of Gondolin was part of Aragorn's family history, after all. So Aragorn had all reasons to be as frightened as Legolas - but he wasn't.

I think Men felt only rational fear, while the fear of the Elf and the Dwarf could have had some additional components to it as well.

The Elf probably saw clearly how terrible Balrog looked in the Spirit world: Demon unvieled.
The Dwarf, as I said, would see nothing but the shadow and flame, but felt greatly frightened by any creature of the spirit world. He wouldn't be able to tell who is more fearsome: a balrog, a nazgul or a ghost - in fact he mixes them. Note that in the chapter "The Great River" Gimli is unable to tell a nazgul from a balrog:

`But I am glad that the shadow came no nearer. I liked it not at all. Too much it reminded me of the shadow in Moria – the shadow of the Balrog,' he ended in a whisper.

Frodo, with his acquired insight into the Spirit World: a legacy of the Morgul wound, is able to correct him:

'It was not a Balrog,' said Frodo, still shivering with the chill that had come upon him. 'It was something colder. I think it was –' Then he paused and fell silent. [...] – No, I will not say

But he did guess correctly, I bet.